I'll protect you
by ThominhoNalbyfan29
Summary: When Alby goes through the Changing, he is shocked at what he discovers. That and the feelings of love for a certain boy he's kept hidden for so long make him fall into a deep depression. Newt is worried about Alby, he feels like his best friend hasn't been the same since the Changing. Can he get Alby to open up to him before it's too late? Newt/Alby, Minho/Thomas.
1. Chapter 1

Alby's PoV:

The Changing was nothing like he had expected.

He must have looked as awful as Ben, but for some reason he didn't care. He was floating in blackness, all his five senses taken away from him.

And then the memories started.

_ "I'm a Crank! I'm a Crank! Kill me!"_

_ The words startled Alby at first. He wasn't the person holding the gun, and he had no idea what a Crank was, but it was like he was holding the gun staring into the eyes of the Crank. _

_ "KILL ME!"_

_ Alby had never killed a person in his life - as far as he could remember. Swallowing his fears, he pulled the trigger. _

_ "Do you know what the Flare is, boy?" a man's voice asked. Alby turned around. "It's a disease. Whoever's not immune to it will soon catch it, unless you're rich enough to buy the cure."_

_ "So, they call themselves-"_

_ "Cranks," the man finished. "The disease has gotten inside their heads. It'll take over the whole human population. You're lucky you don't have it, kid, but you will soon."_

* * *

"You will soon."

_ Those three words echoed through Alby's mind like no others. All he knew is he had to get out of here. It had taken Brittany, his girlfriend - no, the boy's girlfriend whose body he was inside of. Alby was gay, and he would only ever love Newt. No one else. He would only ever love the boy who'd never love him back. The boy who had made him feel better despite everything, the boy with the gentle, caring heart like no other Glader had. _

_ Still, when Brittany had begged him to kill her..."Kill me or I'll kill you!" The words echoed in his head. "I'm sorry, Jace. Just please kill me."_

_ Jace. That was the boy's name. _

_ Jace lifted the gun, and he tried to stop himself. But he knew then that he could never rewrite history. He would stand here, helpless, as a girl he felt he knew was killed. _

_ "Please, Jace." Her brown eyes were full of desperation. _

_ He pulled the trigger. _

Alby shot up in bed, realizing he could see again. Touch again. Hear again.

Newt was sitting beside him, sobbing and holding his hand. Terrified of the memory he'd just had, the one that belonged to someone else. Feeling like he was in shock, he thought about what he'd just witnessed.

The Flare. A disease. Expensive cure, that no one could afford.

They were going to die. Either that, or get the disease. Newt was going to. His Newt, that he lived to protect and would die to save him.

No.

Newt lifted his head then, wiped his eyes. He saw Alby and his eyes widened. "Alby!" He forced a smile, though his heart was full of sadness. Newt hugged him and a lump formed in Alby's throat, then tears streamed down his face. "Don't you dare ever put me through that again, slinthead, you understand me?"

Alby laughed, but it wasn't forced. He had Newt back now, and he wouldn't lose him. He decided to still keep his true feelings for Newt - love - a secret. Nothing had to change in their relationship.

He made another promise to himself. He would publicly try to help the Gladers find a way out, but he would make sure they didn't. Really, the Maze wasn't so bad, and he wouldn't let his friends and his love escape to worse dangers.

_I promise_, he thought as Newt held him in his arms.

**AN: Please R&R and tell me if you liked it, hated it, what you thought of it. I didn't know about posting this, it's kind of a darker plot than I usually write. But I hope you guys like it :) **


	2. Chapter 2

Newt's PoV:

"Alby!" Newt called, running as fast as he could to catch up with his best friend. When he got to the other boy he wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, let's go eat dinner. I'm starved."

"Yeah," Alby muttered.

That now familiar feeling of worry filled him. It had been two weeks since Alby went through the Changing, and it felt like the boy Newt loved was drifting away from him. While they usually slept in each other's arms like they were lovers already, Alby tossed and turned when he didn't before, he talked in his sleep - something about a flare - and most nights stole the blankets from Newt. He'd have nightmares almost every night, and when he woke up Newt would hold him until he stopped shaking.

When they got to the kitchens, they got a meal of spaghetti and meatballs from Frypan. Alby hardly ate anymore, Newt had to make sure he ate or he wouldn't. He knew, and it broke his heart more than falling in love with Alby had, that his fearless leader was depressed.

_But why?_ he asked himself for the thousandth time.

After dinner, Alby got up and left and Newt found him trying to fall asleep. "Going to bed so early?"

Alby stared at the wall of their bedroom. "Nothing better to do."

Newt grinned, trying to make Alby feel better. "How about hanging out with some of your friends?"

Alby shook his head.

"Scoot, then," said Newt. "I'm exhausted." Alby made room for him on their bed, and Newt wrapped his arms around Alby. "What do you want to do tomorrow?"

"Work," Alby answered, sounding distant. "Or sleep."

Newt sighed. That was what Alby had said for the past two weeks whenever Newt asked him that. "You should take a day off," he said.

"Thanks," Alby mumbled as Newt snuggled against his chest. "I'll sleep."

"No, you won't," Newt said.

"Why not?"

"Because," he answered. _Great answer, Newt._ He made himself go on. "I'm only giving you the day off if you do something with me."

"You can sleep, too," Alby suggested.

"No, no, no!" Newt felt like he was going to lose it. "What is it, Alby? I've been trying and trying ever since that bloody Changing and you just don't want to be with me! Just tell me what you bloody saw and I'll help you!"

"You can't know," Alby said.

Newt sat up in bed and looked down at him. "I have the right! All of us Gladers, we have the right!"

"Of course you do, but-"

Newt ran his hands through his blonde hair. "Then bloody tell me! I don't want to see you get hurt, Albs, you're my best friend!"

He brushed hair out of Newt's face in almost a loving gesture. "Newt..."

Their lips were just inches away, and Newt knew if he leaned closer they would kiss. "I can't lose you, Alby."

Alby's hand was still touching Newt's face. Blue eyes met dark ones. "I made a promise, Newt," Alby said. "To myself. Two promises, and I won't break either of them."

Newt sighed in frustration, grabbing the hand that was touching his face and holding it in his own. "I really, really care about you, Alby."

Alby smiled, his eyes lighting up like they hadn't for a long time, and it made Newt smile. "I care about you, too," he said. "You have no idea."

"Make another promise, Alby," Newt said. When Alby looked at him expectantly he said, "Promise you'll have fun with me tomorrow. We'll do anything you want, except work or sleep. We can take a walk in the forest, whatever you'd like. I know you haven't seen the graveyard, maybe we can go there."

"I don't want to go to the graveyard," Alby said. "I've been here for two bloody years, if I wanted to go I'd have gone by now."

"Okay, then we won't." Newt hugged him and rested his head on Alby's chest. "Just promise you'll be with me tomorrow."

Alby nodded, running his hand through Newt's hair. "I'd really like that," he said.

Alby's PoV:

It had been a good day.

He'd woken up to see Newt smiling proudly, a tray of breakfast in his hands. He sat up and they ate breakfast alone together. After breakfast, they went for a really romantic walk in the forest, holding hands the whole time. "I want to go to the graveyard," Alby decided after a while of thinking, deciding why not since he was already here, and Newt squeezed his hand as they approached the graveyard.

It looked like Alby had always pictured it, but he was more scared than he'd expected. Newt just wrapped his arm around Alby's waist, holding him close and Alby suddenly wasn't scared anymore.

"These are the Runners that were found in the Maze," Alby murmured, bending down to look at a gravestone. He looked up at Newt, who looked worried.

"We can leave if you want," he said. Alby stood up then, and looked around at the graveyard. Newt was watching him, his blue eyes filled with an emotion that Alby didn't recognize. After a moment, Alby realized that it was love.

"Let's go to the lake," Alby suggested, and they left the graveyard.

* * *

When they got to the lake, the only place where they could swim, Alby undressed himself down to his boxers and easily threw Newt in the lake with his clothes on. "Alby, I'm so going to get you!" he squealed, laughing, and chased Alby around the lake. Newt's heavy clothes slowed him down, whereas Alby who was wearing underwear and nothing else was way ahead of him.

At one point, he'd stopped to catch his breath and accidentally let Newt catch up to him. Newt wrapped his arms around Alby, who thrashed around in his arms trying to escape. "I got you," Newt whispered, and Alby giggled and turned around, resting his head on his friend's shoulder as they floated around the lake.

They showered (not together) and ate dinner with their friends. Alby felt better and actually talked to people, and he even noticed Thomas sneaking looks at Minho when he thought Minho wasn't looking. Minho turned, saw he was staring, and offered Thomas a smile before going back to his conversation with Alby and Newt.

That night, Alby let Newt hold him. Instead of sleeping away from him, he crawled into Newt's arms, surprising his friend. Newt quickly fell asleep, but he lay awake in Newt's arms until he let sleep take him.


	3. Chapter 3

Newt's PoV:

Alby was still having nightmares.

How stupid he had been to think that if Alby spent one day with Newt that he wouldn't have a nightmare. If anything it was worse, but he was dreaming about something different this time.

No, it wasn't a nightmare. He was talking in his sleep, but it sounded like he enjoyed the dream. "Newt..." Newt was shocked when he heard his name, and Alby rolled over in his arms, pulling Newt tight against him.

"Alby..." Newt pushed on his friend's chest, trying to get away. He panicked. What if he couldn't breathe? Alby was stronger and bigger than he was, what if-

"I love you," Alby mumbled, rolling over again. Newt breathed out a sigh of relief. "Newt, I love you..."

Newt wished he could see the look on his own face then. He must have looked pretty shocked, because he was pretty shocked. Stunned, actually. He'd never even thought of Alby feeling the same way about him. He'd thought his love for Alby was always unrequited.

Boy, was he wrong.

Tears of happiness filled Newt's eyes, and he wiped them away. But fear took over happiness - what was he going to do about this? He doesn't want me to know, he suddenly thought, and tears spilled down his face at the thought. Why didn't Alby want him to know?

"Newt," Alby mumbled beside him, and Newt rolled over and embraced the sleeping boy tightly.

"I love you, Alby," Newt said, crying softly. "I love you, you shuck idiot."

The same question flowed through his mind as he fell asleep: _What am I going to do?_

* * *

The next morning, he talked to Minho. "I _knew_ it," said Minho. "I bloody knew it!"

"Keep your voice down!" Newt hissed, glancing nervously over at Alby who was across the room from him as they ate breakfast. Alby glanced over at them and Newt gave him his best innocent smile before looking at Minho. "I just - I'm not supposed to know this...but why would he want to keep that from me? It's so amazing, I can't believe he loves me..." Newt swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Dude, it's about time," Minho told him. "Tell him that you know after breakfast."

"I was afraid you were going to say that," Newt complained.

"If he loves you, what do you have to worry about?" Minho pointed out. "

Newt sighed, knowing his friend was right. "True. I just don't want to ruin our friendship, ya know? We're really close and-"

"Don't stress," said Minho. "He loves you, and if you love him it should work out - you do love him, right?"

Newt nodded miserably. "All right," he said. "Fine, I'll talk to him. Thanks."

Minho smiled sadly at him. "You know just because we broke up doesn't mean I don't care about you," he said, totally not sounding like himself at all.

Newt returned his smile. "Thanks," he said, and really meant it. "I just hope this ends well."


	4. Chapter 4

Alby's PoV:

Newt had been sending him strange looks all through breakfast. Alby went up to him after breakfast, and was surprised that Newt was headed towards him. "Alby, we need to talk."

"Why were you looking at me like that?" Alby asked him, unable to control his curiosity.

Newt blushed. "Oh, you saw that?" He looked around, grabbed Alby by the hand and led him out of the room. Newt led him to the building where their room was, close to where the girl that had been brought up was in a coma.

"Alby, I um..." Newt swallowed, looking like he was going to cry. "You were talking in your sleep last night."

_Shit_, Alby mentally swore. "What...what did I say?" He really, really didn't want to know.

Newt's eyes glistened with tears. "You said you loved me," he said.

Alby sighed. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I don't understand why you didn't tell me," Newt said, wiping his eyes. "I feel so strongly for you, Alby, I...I love you..."

Alby had never seen his friend break down like this, and it broke his heart. "I'm sorry," he said, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I just wanted to protect our friendship."

"Then you should've told me and let me decide that!" Newt snapped, and then his face softened. "I'm sorry-"

But he was interrupted when Alby stepped forward, held Newt's face in his hands and gently kissed him on the lips. Newt's eyes widened and then they closed, and Alby closed his own eyes and pulled Newt into his arms. Newt clung to him, the kiss deepening as they explored each other's mouths. Alby's tongue slid over Newt's, the feeling was strange but kissing him felt amazing. _I'm kissing my best friend_, he realized as the kiss went on. He smiled into the kiss, brushing his lips against Newt's.

When the kiss ended they broke apart, panting. "Alby," Newt gasped.

Alby smiled, going in for another kiss. Newt wrapped his arms around Alby's neck, then jumped and wrapped his legs around Alby's waist. He stumbled backwards, fell onto the bed with Newt on top of him.

They kissed for a long time before Newt began to touch him. Newt's lips slid down to his neck, and Alby moaned as Newt brushed his lips over his neck, biting and nipping and sucking on his skin. "Newt," he whimpered as Newt kissed his jaw.

"What do you want me to do?" Newt asked him, his blue eyes meeting Alby's.

Alby kissed him, long and sweet. "Does it hurt?" he asked. "I mean, I know it's none of my business but did you and Minho ever-"

Newt nodded, blushing. "It's a good pain," he said. "It's hard to explain, you'll get it once...well..."

He pressed their lips together. Newt slipped his tongue into Alby's mouth, pressing it against Alby's tongue. Newt pinned Alby's wrists to the bed, surpising Alby yet again at how strong he was. Newt let go of his wrists and sat between Alby's legs, taking his time to undress Alby. Alby blushed furiously, but Newt just kissed him as his hands roamed Alby's body. Newt slid his hand down his chest and stomach to the waistband of Alby's jeans, and Alby's heart jumped into his throat.

"Do it," he said, and Newt nodded before unbuttoning his jeans and putting a hand in them. A rush of emotions filled him then, and the physical feelings as Newt stroked him were good too. "Oh, Newt..." Newt wrapped a hand around his growing erection. "Newt! Yes! Newt, please...Newt..." He moaned and squirmed under his friend, the pleasure almost too much for him. "I'm...I think I'm going to..."

Newt smiled. "Does it feel good?"

"YES!" Newt jumped slightly, but Alby just writhed around some more as Newt put a finger inside him and curled it. "_Please_, Newt! PLEASE! Do it now!"

"We don't have to rush things-"

"_Now_! I need you..." Alby leaned his head back and felt his pants being pulled down. He undressed Newt, and the feeling of Newt inside him was nothing like he'd ever experienced. Alby wasn't afraid like he expected to be, and it did hurt but in a good way like Newt had explained. Newt groaned, closing his eyes as he grinded his hips into Alby's. Alby kissed him, wrapping his arms around Newt's neck as his best friend made love to him. "Mine," Alby whispered against Newt's lips.

"Yours," Newt responded, kissing him deeply.

After a long time, Newt collapsed on top of Alby, resting his head against his chest, and came deep inside the other boy, Alby's name on his lips. Alby cried out his lover's name, gasping, and held Newt close to him. "I love you," Alby murmured more times than he could count, and kissed all of Newt's face and his lips softly.

Newt smiled and snuggled closer to Alby. "I love you too, you shuck idiot." Alby laughed and rested his cheek on Newt's head, and they fell asleep together, forgetting all about the full day of work they had.

Newt's PoV:

"Alby! Newt!" Minho was pounding on the door. "I don't know what you two are doing in there, but there's work, and Thomas and I just got back from the Maze!"

Newt groggily lifted his head off Alby's bare chest and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Outside the window beside their bed, it was getting dark. "Go away, Minho, you'll wake him up!"

Oops.

"You two were _sleeping_?" Minho smacked his palm against the door. "Get your lazy butts out of bed!"

Newt looked over at Alby, whose eyes opened. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, just Minho being a jerk."

"I heard that!"

"Oh, good for you!" Alby glared at the locked door and wrapped his arms around Newt's waist. "Get lost! Oh, and by the way, I know you like Thomas."

"What?!" came a shreik from outside the door.

Newt burst out laughing when he realized Thomas was there with Minho. "Oops!" Alby snickered.

"Thanks for that, dude!" Minho called, obviously sarcastically.

"Anytime!"

Newt wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. "Minho, do you really like me?" Thomas asked from outside the door. "Like that?"

Minho groaned loudly. "Let's go talk away from these slinthead morons," he said.

"You like Thomas! You like Thomas!" Alby singsonged, ignoring Minho's shout of insults until Minho was too far away for Newt to hear him.

Newt grinned. "Was that really necessary?" he asked.

"Well, I figured odds were neither of those idiots would admit their feelings, so I gave them a little push," Alby said, softly touching his lips to Newt's. "I guess we should get up for dinner."

Sighing, Newt agreed. As Alby dressed, Newt stared at his naked body in the mirror, remembering what had happened between them. He smiled, putting his fingers up to his lips, as he thought of it.

Alby wrapped his arms around Newt's waist and kissed his neck. He went over to the closet and grabbed a pair of Newt's clothes, and he allowed Alby to dress him. When they were both dressed, they left to go eat together.


End file.
